I wish to express my support for the strike. I miss the late-night shows a lot but I don't think that the writers should be faulted for the situation.

In a previous post, jebldmm wrote (and the editor highlighted his comment):

"I really wish that the participants of this strike would make more of an effort to get together. I don't particularly care if television shows are being held up, but there are a lot of people suffering over what amounts to a "how much money can I keep" issue. This isn't the glory days of striking, when they were trying to get decent work hours and safe working conditions."

I disagree with this on several levels:

1. The money issue is a fair reason to strike. In light of the absurd incomes of CEOs, any worker should have the moral right to ask for an increase in wages to level the field.

2. This is not only about money, it is about fairness: If your company is making a lot of money out of your creative efforts, you should have the right to participate in the revenues and have your author's contribution honored.

3. This actually may be the very glory days of striking: There have been few strikes as of late, with unions crumbling in front of the organized big business. Recently, the Dow-Jones was soaring to record levels, but average wages stagnated and benefits dropped. As working professionals, we may in fact be all in the same boat with the writers.

It's a good thing the "real" news shows don't require writers -they only need someone to show up and jot down whatever the Bush administration tells them. And the "reporters" covering the presidential campaigns are furnished with the talking points du jour from each candidate, and dutifully repeat what they're told. (The only "analysis" provided by these reporters is by Andrea Mitchell, whose visceral hatred of her topic, Hillary Clinton, precludes a simple report - she always presents each day's new evidence of just how detestable Hillary is.)

Even without their writers, Jon & Steve are more insightful than the MSM.

Garry Owen asked; 'What ever happened to Laugh In? All current events based comedy waxes and wanes with the times.'

Laugh In was my favorite show when I was a kid. I can remember watching it & laughing until my sides hurt. I caught a rerun of it a few years ago & I was astounded at how not-funny it appeared to me now. Many of the references the show made I failed to pick up on (forgot some of the reasons they were ragging on various people) & the show had a Bennie Hill quality that I guess I appreciated more when I was 12.

That dude who rode the tricycle & then fell over still cracked me up though.

People may not be aware of the strike yet, but they will when 85% of prime time programming is reality fare and reruns. Networks/Cable are just starting to run out of whatever canned material they had stored when the strike hit, and it's going to get real ugly from here on.

As for source material for TDS and TCS, that all depends on what goes down this year.

Colbert's show was brilliant. I laughed just as maniacally as I usually do, and Andrew Sullivan's passion was a joy to watch. Thanks for doing this write-up; I laughed all over again at your play-by-play of Colbert's show.

I think you're right, that Jon and Stephen are going to be sweating, a lot, till the strike is over. But Jon will find his stride and Stephen has got to be the most nimble entertainer I have ever seen in my life. (Literally. I think we may see some cool acrobatics and dances from him.)

I'm just thankful these two are back on, providing an hour of sanity and clarity (ironically enough).

The Daily Show last night was some of the smartest television I've seen in a long time. The extra long Internet residuals bit wasn't intended as comedy, and is probably a more in-depth explanation of the situation (and certainly, more in-depth exploration of its absurdity) than most people have previously seen. He also very visibly took the side of the writers, at length, which, given the acrimony the strike has engendered, is probably important to future good relations.

The interview with professor Seeber was some of the more intelligent television I've seen lately, what with the strike and all.

Still, American Gladiators is awesome, I've got to admit that.

They forced Stewart to go back on the air, but they couldn't force him to be funny. Maybe he is trying to show his corporate masters how badly he needs his writers.

I heard on an NPR show last week that well over 80% of the viewing audience does not even know there is a strike. I think that TV watching is such a habit that folks will tune in regardless of the quality of the program. They are just fine with game shows and reality programming. This does not bode well for the future of scripted or quality programming in the future.

For me the apex of Mr Colbert was the press dinner speech. Nothing he has done or will do will match that. John Stewart's problems are his increasing recognition of his own importance and his inability not to be the "nice polite guy" when facing someone truly reprehensible.

Stewart's and Colbert's best days are behind them.

The fascist Bush presidency, with its malevolent buffoons like Cheney, Rummy and Gonzales were the meat on which Stewart and Colbert built their fortunes.

The fuel source is running out.

Yeah yeah, there's Chuck Norris, Texas Ranger, standing behind Gomer Pyle, presidential wannabee. Big laugh. Not.

Satire requires larger and more evil targets, preferably ones that could have you rendered to Egypt for a "tune up."

What ever happened to Saturday Night Live? What ever happened to Laugh In? All current events based comedy waxes and wanes with the times. Yes, SNL hangs on. They ought to pull the plug on that patient. Do not resuscitate!

The times, they are a'changin'.

So thank Stewart and Colbert for helping us through the darkest times of Bush's reign of terror, but it's 2008 and he's a mere shadow of himself, weak and silly. While it's still fun to mock Bush, he's no longer on the come. Turn the page.

I think the writer's strike has mortally wounded both of these shows, but they were reaching their sell-by date anyway.